TAMPA -- The tough-talking, plain-spoken New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie fired up the GOP base at the Republican National Convention Tuesday, capping a day packed with speakers, rhetoric and emotion.

Christie gave the final remarks following those given by Ann Romney, who painted her life with her husband as a long, loyal journey built after the most humblest of beginnings.
His booming voice carrying easily through the stadium, the bombastic Christie repeatedly had the crowd on its feet.
"Real leaders don't follow polls," Christie implored. "Real leaders change polls."
Christie took on themes that ran throughout the day: the power of strong women and strong families. The danger of big government.

He spoke in us vs. them terms, contrasting his own Republican beliefs with that of Democrats.
"They believe the American people are content to be coddled by the government," he said.

He said of teachers: "They teach because they love children," he said. Republicans, he insisted are "Demanding higher standards and demanding the best teacher in every classroom in America.

"They believe in teachers' unions," he said, putting his hand on his chest with emphasis he said: "We believe, in teachers."

"We have never been victims of destiny we have always been masters of our own."

An early look at what Ann Romney intends to talk about tonight at the Republican National Convention. Her speech is scheduled for 9:05 Central before Gov. Chris Christie's keynote:

...Tonight I want to talk to you from my heart about our hearts.

I want to talk not about what divides us, but what holds us together as an American family. I want to talk to you tonight about that one great thing that unites us, that one thing that brings us our greatest joy when times are good, and the deepest solace in our dark hours.

Tonight I want to talk to you about love.

...

Mitt's dad never graduated from college. Instead, he became a carpenter.

He worked hard, and he became the head of a car company, and then the governor of Michigan.

When Mitt and I met and fell in love, we were determined not to let anything stand in the way of our life together.

..

I read somewhere that Mitt and I have a "storybook marriage." Well, in the storybooks I read, there were never long, long, rainy winter afternoons in a house with five boys screaming at once. And those storybooks never seemed to have chapters called MS or Breast Cancer.

A storybook marriage? No, not at all. What Mitt Romney and I have is a real marriage.

...

At every turn in his life, this man I met at a high school dance, has helped lift up others. He did it with the Olympics, when many wanted to give up.

...

This is the man America needs.

This is the man who will wake up every day with the determination to solve the problems that others say can't be solved, to fix what others say is beyond repair. This is the man who will work harder than anyone so that we can work a little less hard.

I can't tell you what will happen over the next four years. But I can only stand here tonight, as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, an American, and make you this solemn commitment: